If you haven’t taken the Business Trendsetter™ quiz yet, then you won’t know what I’m talking about when I say, “embrace your inner Lola.” When it comes to being a social media marketer, who better to emulate than your alter ego: Lola. She isn’t afraid to show up online or in the world being exactly who she is because she knows, that’s where the money is.
Lola is the rule breaker, the “I don’t give a shit what you think of me”, anti-people pleaser archetype. And let’s be honest… If you aren’t showing up being E-X-A-C-T-L-Y who you are in social media, you’re really missing out on growing your business.
Most of us Holistic Fashionistas call bull-honkey when we see a poser online pretending to be someone they’re not. It’s icky. And as we like to call it, “it’s like a stinky cologne— and nobody likes that smell.”
If you struggle with showing up in your social media being exactly who you are, here are some pointers to help you step out of poserville and into Lola’s rebellious booties.
DON’T OVER-EDIT
Everyone thinks that more polished is somehow ‘perceived as better’, but when it comes to attracting the right tribe, authentic raw footage is the way to go. So instead of snapping 1000 photos trying to get the perfect pose, go with the first one and let the world see the real you— blemishes, bad side, eyes closed and all. If you’re editing your YouTube video, it’s okay to have abrupt transition or bad lighting on occasion. Perfection doesn’t exist and if you can’t hire a pro, then make do with what you have. People will still love it, because they LOVE you.
SHOW YOUR HUMANNESS
We all have our crappy days and sometimes that means we drop the “f” bomb or have typos in our newsletters. If people are going to judge you for forgetting the apostrophe in International Women’s Day or shun you for cursing, they probably aren’t your ideal customer anyway. Your ideal customers appreciate your humanness because it makes you more relatable. So instead of wasting hours trying to get every t crosses or i dotted, just hit send and move on to the next thing. No one will remember your mistake by tomorrow anyway. Trust me, they won’t.
IT’S OKAY TO BE “UNLIKED”
We’ve all have experienced the “unfriended”, “unliked”, and “unfollowing” nonsense that happens online; it’s part of the gig. But when you get your panties in a bunch because you notice someone on your friend list is no longer a “friend”, cut your losses and move on. In fact, Lola encourages you to unfollow, unfriend, and unlike anything or anyone that doesn’t resonate with who you are (or makes you feel uncomfortable). That’s the beauty of social media— it’s up to YOU how you will use these channels to stay connected— and remember this: being unfriended is a compliment. “Thanks for noticing we weren’t a match. #ByeFelicia.”
Think of it this way: Social Media isn’t a popularity contest, it’s an authenticity contest. Whomever is brave enough to show their true colors online wins. Even if your Instagram following is just 1000 followers, if you’ve been authentic, they are probably die hard followers! It’s better to have die-hard followers than thousands upon thousands of followers who like the “not-so-real-you.”
As scary as it may seem, showing up in social media being exactly who YOU are takes courage, but if you’re truly here to make a difference, the only way your tribe will be able to find you is if you’re being authentic. And that means embracing your inner Lola.
So if you’re wondering WHY your business hasn’t “taken off yet”, perhaps you are still playing it safe and Lola’s still on the sidelines wondering when you’re going to get her in the game! She’s ready when you are- middle finger and all.
